Itineraries for Your Trip to Turin
3 Days in Turin for Families
Best known for its architecture and easy links to the Piedmont wine region, Turin doesn’t shout family vacation, but I’ve found this northern city has lots to offer me and my kids. It’s not too touristy, not too quiet; it’s big, yet walkable; and its sweeping piazzas offer space for kids to run around. Turin is also near Alba, birthplace of the beloved chocolate-and-hazelnut Nutella spread, and there's lots of nutty, chocolaty treats to try.
Close to the Alps and cities such as Milan or Genoa, Turin works well as an add-on to a vacation, like to France or an Italy ski trip, or visit on a multi-city break. Here are my tips for a family trip to Turin.
Turin is temperate year-round with hot summers, cold winters, and pleasant (sometimes rainy) shoulder months.
If you only have time for one thing, make it a ride up the “great glass elevator” at the Mole Antonelliana.
Get your bearings with a hop-on hop-off tour, which shows you the sights without too much walking. Older kids might opt for bike or e-bike tours. Or, switch up your perspective on an underground tour at the Pietro Micca Museum to explore secret tunnels that zigzag beneath the streets.
Get acquainted with the chocolate for which Turin is known. In the bars, ask for bicerin (an espresso, hot chocolate, and milk drink) for grown-ups and super-thick cioccolata calda (hot chocolate) for kids—and gianduiotti chocolate-and-hazelnut treats for everyone. After dark, teens can get suitably spooked on a Turin ghost tour.
Devote your second day to Turin’s museums, starting with the Egyptian Museum, with one of the largest collections of Egyptian antiquities outside of Egypt. Due to its popularity, you'll want to prebook your tickets. Once inside, look for the reconstructed temple and mummy exhibits galore.
After, stroll for 10 minutes to the Mole Antonelliana, and ride up the elevator for family photos against a panoramic Turin backdrop. The tower is also home to the National Museum of Cinema, with a focus on Italian films. Another option is the National Automobile Museum, home to a huge display of cars and future prototypes.
Head away from downtown Turin to discover outer-city attractions. The hop-on hop-off bus trip to the Juventus Stadium (aka the Allianz Stadium) introduces you to where Italy’s beloved Juventus team play. Animal lovers beeline it to the modern Zoom Torino, a zoo with an open environment for wild animals. Bring a bathing suit (summer-only) to take a dip in the zoo’s Malawi Beach swimming pool—you'll paddle past underwater windows that run alongside hippos.
Alternatively, explore the wider Piedmont area. Bike tours provide fun transportation, with winery stops. Or, see the rolling Le Langhe hills from a hot air balloon.
